Top 9 Reasons to Start Living in Spain as an Expat

Just listening to the word Spain and tons of positive images pop to your mind. Great weather, amazing gastronomy, friendly people… For many its paradise. But maybe going a bit more in depth is needed in order to really understand what the country has to offer. Why do so many choose it as their new country of residence? In this post we are going to give you the top 9 reasons why you should start living in Spain as an expat. After reading this you won’t consider any other option!

1. PERFECT WEATHER

Forget about those weathers in which you cannot go out to the street during Winter due to how cold it is. In Spain, you will find the ideal temperature throughout the whole year. 320 days of sun!

Winters that allow you to walk down the street with just a jacket, and hot summers that make it perfect to relax on the beach. What else could you ask for?

But that is not all. One of the main upsides of the Spanish territory is its landscape diversity. If you rather enjoy a more humid and rainy weather, the north will be the perfect spot for you. Asturias, the Vasque Country, Galicia… regions that fit into this category and that have a lot to offer.

But if you are all about sun and higher temperatures because you need those vitamin D spikes, the Mediterranean coast will be ideal; from Catalonia to Andalucia, there is not a single Autonomous Community that will deceive you.

2. THE SPANISH CULTURE

No matter where you go, you will be living the Spanish history. Spain is a nation that, since its origins, has been constructed upon many different groups, all of them with their peculiarities and differences. The result? A diverse and divided culture. A set of regions with their own traditions and specialities.

3. HEALTH BENEFITS

On the one hand, you have a free public health care system that is available for all the residents in the country, providing a more than exceptional service.

On the other hand, for those treatments and operations that need to be taken under the private system, you find prices that are much more affordable than in most developed countries.

And the truth is that the quality of life in Spain is amazing. The hours of sun, the Mediterranean diet (full of fruits and vegetables) and the relaxed but enjoying lifestyle are all factors that contribute to a country with one of the highest life expectancies in the world.

4. QUALITY OF LIFE

The previous point inevitably bring us to the amazing quality of life you will enjoy in the country.

In Spain you won’t enjoy a working lifestyle based on stress and constant rush, something that happens in cities like New York. The Spanish spirit is based on enjoying life as much as possible, specially when it comes to sharing it with others.

And you wouldn’t be able to enjoy this quality of life if it was not due to the low cost of living. Many things like groceries, going and having dinner at a restaurant, and even housing & rentals are much cheaper than in any other European country.

Therefore you can enjoy a more than amazing life with a normal salary.

5. EASINESS TO GET A RESIDENCE PERMIT

Another positive thing about Spain is its Immigration Law. There are many options for non-EU citizens who are planning to move to Spain in order to live and work. Getting a visa is something really easy.

For example, you have the golden visa, a residence permit that can be obtained by simply investing 500.000€ in real estate. Taking into consideration that you will need a house to live in anyways, this is a really good option.

You just need to make sure that you meet the requirements for the permit you would like to apply to and having a residence and work authorization won’t be a problem. Specially if you rely on experienced immigration lawyers to help you out throughout the whole process.

6. HUGE NUMBER OF EXPAT COMMUNITIES

There is no denying the fact that moving to a new country can be a tough process. You leave behind family and friends, and that creates the need to construct a brand new social circle.

But it seems that in Spain that won’t be difficult at all.

If you enter into platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite, you will see all the events that are organized each week that help foreigners make new friends and connections.

For sure those events are more numerous at big cities like Barcelona, Madrid or Valencia. But no matter where is it that you start living in, there will be for sure a Facebook Group with expats from that region.

Meeting people that are in the same situation as you in the country is really easy. Even more, you won’t have any problem in finding groups composed of likeminded people who are into entrepreneurship, real estate and investing in properties, or self-development, just to mention a few groups.

7. BUYING PROPERTIES IN SPAIN

In this sense, there are two things to remark. First of all, the huge offering you will have in the country. Let us warn you that it won’t be easy to choose your new home.

No matter your budget, you will have tons of options.

And second, and maybe even more important, it won’t be expensive. There are a lot of houses and apartments available at a cheap price. Just to make a quick comparison, you can get much more with the same money in Spain than, for example, in the UK.

But this does not mean you won’t be able to find more luxurious options. Because there are plenty. Therefore, the real estate market in Spain is completely diverse and full of opportunities for investors.

8. THE SPANISH NIGHTLIFE

If there is something that Spaniards like is partying. And you won’t experience greater parties than the ones in Spain. Cities like Ibiza or Barcelona have become the perfect destination for tourists who want to see the most famous DJ’s perform.

But not everything is partying at a night club. The Spanish nightlife has much more to offer. Because you will always find people having dinner at a restaurant from 9 to 11 pm. People like to go out a lot, and the vibe is completely charming.

And then, time to have a drink. Tons of amazing rooftops will invite you to have a gin tonic while you enjoy a delighting view of the city. And, if you are not into gin tonics…

9. WINE AND TAPAS

And, finally, food and drinks. Because Spain may have the best wines in the world. And that is why enotourism is so popular nowadays in the country.

If you come to Spain, you cannot have a meal without a glass of wine. It’s nearly mandatory. White, rosé, red… in fact all wines are amazing.

But wine with what?

Of course, tapas, that what we find at the heart of the Spanish gastronomy. Small plates of typical Spanish food that will be the perfect vehicle for a social interaction.

The bad thing is that once you order and try some… you won’t be able to stop!

WILL YOU REALLY MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY?

As you have just seen, there is enough reason to consider Spain paradise. We have outlined 9 reasons to move to Spain, but for sure there are a thousand more.

That is why we ask you, what is stopping you from starting to live in Spain as a expat? You will easily create your new life, you will be able to enjoy it, and the legal part won’t be a problem, because we are here to help you.

So, if you have just made the decision and would like to experience one of the best qualities of life of the whole world… let us be in charge of the boring part.

2 Replies to “Top 9 Reasons to Start Living in Spain as an Expat”

We have only experienced Spain for short periods of time so far, but let me mention what other expats we have talked to have mentioned – the “settling in index” is high. This means how easy it is to have Spanish friends to socialize with as well as expats. I have friends who live in Italy and their Italian friends would go to the end of the earth to help them if needed, but they never seem to socialize with them. We want to experience and live the culture not just bring ours with us.